Combining the love of dogs and mankind to produce an amazing charity!

Canine Companions for Independence is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships.

See this furry puppy? This is the day I picked her up from the Canine Companions for Independence North Central Regional Training Center in Delaware, Ohio and brought her into my home.

This adorable bundle of love is a service puppy in training. Over the next 18 months I will raise her, love her, feed her, care for her and train her in the 30 commands that she will need to go on to Advanced Training with the hope of becoming a service dog for a child or an adult with a physical disability other than blindness. And as I said many times before, all this is done for FREE.

Volunteers raise the puppies for free so that the people who need these dogs can get them for free. It’s as simple as that.(more…)

Is anything free anymore? Canine Companions for Independence® makes sure that their service dogs are free to qualified applicants with physical disabilities other than blindness.

Canine Companions is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships.

Service dogs are expensive, estimated to cost approximately $50,000 to fund the breeding, training and on-going follow-up service after the dog is placed.

Then how can Canine Companions for Independence® give these dogs to people free of charge? Corporate sponsors and people from all over the country, folks like you who volunteer to spread awareness, care for litters, raise puppies and raise money do so willingly so that those who need service dogs can have them free of charge, without having to do any personal fundraising. That’s why I support this organization.

At 8 weeks of age, each puppy is raised by a puppy raiser. They are responsible for providing food, shelter and medical care. They love them, potty train them and teach them the 30 commands necessary so that when they are 18 months they can go to Advanced Training–what puppy raisers call “Puppy College.” There they train with professional trainers who take the 30 commands learned to the next level with the hope that they’ll graduate and be placed with their forever person.(more…)

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Celebrate Dogs!:High Five! A Dog Blog is the fun place to celebrate dogs. Whether you have a new puppy or an adult dog, you're rescuing, adopting or training a service dog, there are fun, informative and entertaining articles, pictures and videos to help you on your way. You'll also find product reviews and ideas for dog toys and gifts. Enjoy!